title: Personal networks of prisoners prior to incarceration: A comparison with the general Dutch population.
abstract: This study examines inmates' core discussion network prior to their incarceration. The core discussion network consists of the immediate social circle of relatively strong ties. The aims of the study are twofold: (1) to describe inmates' core discussion network prior to their incarceration in terms of network structure, relationship quality and embedded socioeconomic resources; (2) to compare inmates' core discussion network with the core discussion network of the general Dutch population. Data are analyzed from the Prison Project (n=1909) and the Survey of the Social Networks of the Dutch (n=394). Compared with the general Dutch population, prior to incarceration, prisoners generally have a core discussion network that is similar to or even better with respect to network structure and relationship quality. However, prisoners' core discussion network members seem to lack socioeconomic resources.
authors.affiliation: The Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), De Boelelaan 1077a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: rdecuyper@nscr.nl.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Cuyper
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirkzwager
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Völker
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Laan
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nieuwbeerta
keywords: Adult offenders; Comparison; Panel data; Personal networks; Prisoners; The Netherlands